How has your first week in Korea been? Has it been interestingor have there been hardships? If this is your first time in Korea, you might not know anything about the country. Lucky 
for you, we have some suggestions to help you make the most of your time here and facilitate your time at Kookmin University (KMU). You can make the most of your time on campus with some very basic applications. South Korea has the fastest Internet in the world. You can use a number of useful applications with Wi-Fi around campus or in public places, or you can just use data. The applications, or apps, are easy to use and will make your time in Korea that much more comfortable. 

The various school apps that KMU students frequently use are K-Card, K-Push+, Coursemos, and Everytime. These can be used during roll call, at the library, and for various payments. 
By using your K-Carrd for payments around campus, you won’t have to get a domestically-issued bank card-you can get by with your own country’s bank card. K-Push+ acts as 
a notification center, allowing you to receive information on academic events and coursework. Within the app are certain criterion you can check, enabling you to select the types of information you want to receive. Additionally, you can see who your course peers are through the application. Coursemos offers a virtual campus form which you can download different course material sent directly by your professors. Everytime also allows you to exchange information with other KMU students, ask questions, and check your peers’ timetables. Through the Sungkok Library app, you can book your preferred library seat for study, find the books you need, participate in library programs, and find theses and documents pertinent to your area of study. 
 

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The most frequently used contact apps in Korea are KaKaoTalk, Facebook, and Instagram. Among the three, KaKaoTalk is by far the most used. KaKaoTalk allows you to add friends to your contact list and message them directly. It’s very easy to create group chat rooms, so most departments have their own group chats. KaKaoTalk not only allows users to communicate, it also enables them access to mobile gift coupons, in-app emoticons, music streaming, shopping, games, and more. Many students use the KakaoPay function to send money to others. Similarly, there are KMU pages on both Facebook and Instagram. Each platform boasts a number of different KMU-related pages, such as for the student council, the Kookmin Review, and different clubs, and departments. You can add yourself to the various pages you wish to belong to or to the ones you’re interest in. 

In Korea, commuters receive a free transfer when using the bus or subway when they switch from one method of transportation to another within a 30-minute time frame. After 9 p.m.,this window is extended to an hour. However, depending on the length of the commute an additional charge may be added. Through KakaoMap, Naver Map, Daum, and Google Maps, you can see when specific buses are arriving and how long your commute will take. Moreover, the apps also specify where to transfer and walk times. So if you find yourself wanting to visit different places, these apps are great to keep in mind. And if you want to ride a bike, you can use Seoul Bike. These bikes are only available for use in Seoul. You’ll find many docking stations to park the bikes throughout the city and you don’t have to return them to the docking station where you began your ride: just park your bike at the most convenient docking station. You can take bikes depending on your need. 

Korea is famous for its cosmetic products. There are many apps like as Hwahe and Sister’s Pouch. So if you want to know what’s in a given product or about a company’s previous posts, you can easily find answers through these different apps. This will help you use the products that best fit you. 

Korea has one of the fastest delivery systems in the world. The different apps come with culinary categories, allowing you to easily find the foods you want. You can choose between Korean, Japanese, Italian, French, Mexican, and many others. Sometimes the apps offer coupons that will decrease the overall price, and some apps don’t even charge for delivery. You can check when restaurants open and close, as well as how long delivery will take. Depending on your need, there are a number of apps out there — so explore what Korea has to offer. 

You may have some difficulties using Korean if you’re a foreigner. There are some useful translation dictionaries to help smoothen conversation. You can also use translators while studying. Naver Dictionary and Daum Dictionary are good apps that can help you in your studies. Using these apps, you can type in any language and then choose which language you want it to be translated into: the result is close to your situation. You can also get synonyms and antonyms to make your search even easier. Many people use Google Translate, but I find other dictionaries have better contextual examples, providing smoother sentences.
 
Life in Korea must be much more interesting and comfortable than you think. Seoul, especially, is a fantastic city that is safe, has delicious food, beautiful places to visit, and many other things to enjoy. Yet I think knowing what’s out there to enjoy will make your time in Korea that much more enjoyable. I hope your time here is made meaningful through various experiences.

Ji-su Han Reporter
jisusarah@kookmin.ac.kr